Interesting links:
https://krillworkshops.wikispaces.com/Collaborative+Efforts

Using a wiki for collaborative learning

Students like creating a website to show and share what they are doing. The parents like seeing it too.
Students can only contribute to your wiki if they are members.

The instructions below are for wikispaces.com . Many other wikis (see wiki farms ) would have a similar functionality.

Students can become members of wikispaces in two ways:

• They do it themselves (by clicking JOIN THIS WIKI) Make sure that they use their own name to become members; you want to avoid weird names like gothstinky96 or shakyfatso118
• You can make usernames and passwords in bulk (via MANAGE WIKI > USER CREATOR).
• The bulk creator feature is only available if you are on the plus plan. (Go to MANAGE WIKI > SUBSCRIPTIONS > bottom of page: CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A K-12 WEBSITE)
• Please email me if you want help with creating a list of users, there are some short cuts you can use.

Things to note:

• It is best to create a new wiki for the collaborative effort; because granting your students access to your own wiki might be a bit of a gamble....
• Let each group or each student create a new page, or, if the project is big, let them create their own wiki. (See example )
• If students are creating their own wiki, you could consider asking them to invite you so that you have some control.

Using Google Docs for collaborative learning

Note: to use Google Docs you need a Google account. You'll find that most students already have one.

• Use Google Docs to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations online.
• Ideal for students working together on presentations and assignments.
• Existing documents can be uploaded and edited in Google Docs, including: DOC, XLS, PPT, ODT, ODS, RTF, CSV, etc.
• Students can work together on one document, at the same time!
• It automatically records who does what, so an excellent way to assess and monitor who does what.

Sites which explain it all:

• http://www.google.com/google-d-s/tour1.html
• http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=ddnctvgt_170cbskvf68&skipauth=true

Using Google Docs in the classroom

• Docs does not have all the features of Microsoft Word, but the main advantages are: they can share their work easily, they can access it from any computer that has Internet access, and they won’t lose work because it saves automatically.
• Students can collaborate on a variety of assignments easily, making for enthusiastic students and improved writing.
• To set up an account, go to docs.google.com. Instructions for setting it up are on the site.
• Students can either set up a Gmail email account or create a Google Account with their existing email address. For a Google Account, they just enter their present email address and select a password. It simply lets them take advantage of all the free Google services.
• Source: http://www.google.com/educators/learning_materials/WR_cribsheet.pdf

Cloud computing

"Cloud computing" is another buzz word. You are probably already doing it: do you use online email, online storage of photos (picasa, flickr etc), any other form of online storage? Then welcome to The Cloud! Wikis and Google docs are another manifestation of cloud computing; it just means that people use online software to store their data online. Google offers the world Google Docs, Gmail and Picassa. I initially resisted because of the 'Big Brother' aspect, but in the end convenience won out, as usual.

Read this interesting article (it's only short): http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2320619,00.asp